Pantry Staple Dinners

As you may have read in my previous post, I am the kind of home cook who likes to keep a well-stocked pantry so I know that I always have ingredients on hand for a delicious meal when I don’t feel like going to the store. Almost every meal that I cook involves a brief inspection of my fridge and cupboards and becomes a one-person episode of Chopped. The only differences are that I take as long as I want, nobody critiques my presentation, and usually my entire dinner fits into one cozy bowl.

I generally make these recipes with whatever vegetables I have on hand, because that is the most convenient and least wasteful system for me. Cooking in this manner means that I could make one type of dish a variety of ways, which fulfills my need for variation in my diet. I will specify in parentheses the vegetables that frequently make it into each dish in my kitchen.

A variation on Pad Thai

• rice noodles, veggies (e.g. carrots, onion, scallions, green beans, broccoli), fish sauce, brown sugar, tamarind paste or fresh lime juice, chili paste or sriracha, egg, peanuts

Soak rice noodles in hot tap water for 10 minutes or until pliable

Stir together fish sauce, sugar, tamarind, and chili paste

(Try a ratio of 2:2:2:1 or to taste — I use 1T : 1T : 1T : 1/2T for 1 serving)

Saute vegetables until tender.

Add noodles and sauce and cook while stirring until hot. 

Scramble egg in a corner of the pan.

Top with peanuts and serve.

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Rice Bowl or Udon Noodle Bowl

• rice (I particularly like short grain brown rice) or udon noodles, veggies (e.g. sweet potato, broccoli, onion, green beans), soy sauce, sriracha
• you could upgrade to a peanut sauce version by simply adding peanut butter and chopped peanuts

Cook rice or noodles according to package. Prep vegetables.

Saute vegetables. Add soy sauce and sriracha.

Serve over rice or noodles.

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Pasta with Vegetables and Beans

• pasta, veggies (e.g. onion, garlic, broccoli, peas, spinach, kale), beans (e.g. chickpeas, black beans, cannelini beans), butter or olive oil, parmesan, herbs

Cook beans if dried. Cook pasta according to package. Prep vegetables.

Saute vegetables in fat until tender. Add beans and pasta and cook together until hot.

Serve with parmesan and herbs, if desired.

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Risotto

• arborio rice, butter, olive oil, onion, stock base (e.g. chicken or vegetable), parmesan cheese

Saute onion over medium-low heat in butter and olive oil until soft and translucent.

Pour in rice and saute until lightly toasted.

Add hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently over medium heat. 

Continue with next ladle when pan is almost dry (i.e. au sec).

When rice is tender but slightly al dente, remove from heat and stir in parmesan and pat of butter.

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Baked Sweet Potato

• I love baking up a sweet potato as part of my meal. You can eat it simply with butter, salt, and pepper or you can jazz it up. My favorite thing is putting a lightly sweetened homemade cranberry sauce inside. The tartness of the cranberries balances out the sweetness and richness of the sweet potato.

Wash sweet potato, prick all over with a fork, coat lightly with oil, and wrap in foil.

Bake at 375°F for 30 min – 1 hr, until soft and a knife slides in easily.

 *Cranberry Sauce*

Heat cranberries (fresh or frozen) in a pan with sugar and enough water to cover bottom of pan.

Cook until all berries burst and it reaches your preferred consistency.

[Can be flavored with things like thyme, orange, cinnamon, cardamom, chili etc.]